This makes no sense for the Knicks. If they already have Stoudemire locked up with an albeit verbal commitment to sign as a free agent outright on Thursday…why do a sign and trade with Lee when he could be used as a sign and trade for other needs? Using Lee as a sign and trade to get Amar’e would further erode cap space and also give away one of your potential sign and trade carrots.

If the knicks did this, they wouldn’t pay amare the 10%, they would pay 8% as the suns would if they kept him, paying only some money up front and most later on would allow them to sign more players now and be under the cap for a few years which by then d’antonis deal will be nearing the end so they can decide if they want to change or not.

Here is how it works for the Knicks. With the Suns signing Amare, the first years hit on the new contract is less. Moving Lee provides additional cap space to allow you to pursue Lebron James. It works in your favor.

Report: LeBron & Co. meeting with Knicks on Wednesday
Sources say Stoudemire was part of deal to lure LeBron.
Could LeBron’s delay be working in New York’s favor? Quite possibly. Sources to Hoopsworld.com’s Alex Kennedy claim James’ business advisors Maverick Carter and Randy Mims could be traveling to New York on Wednesday, and LeBron may be joining them.
Carter and Mims have reportedly been grilling the Knicks’ for details on their salary cap and free-agent plans over the past few days, and there are rumblings about a massive Knicks press conference later this week – and not just for Stoudemire, who will officially sign his five-year deal on Thursday. “Something bigger may be happening in the Big Apple,” wrote Kennedy.
Over the last few days, the Knicks have been viewed as longshots to land LeBron, but some believe their second meeting with LeBron’s camp late Saturday, and the deal to bring on All-Star forward Stoudemire — they’re also set to meet with point guard Raymond Felton — have made the Knicks’ very attractive to The King. [Hoopsworld]

You know the good people of the Phoenix Suns know how to clown there playes Stephen Maubury, Jason Kidd, Joe Johnson; to name just a few. Why ol why did’nt Amarie read his contract throughly.
And does an Agent Such as Happy Walters not know about the clause in Amarie’s contract. The Sun’s offer him 96MM. He would have been traded anyway to New York and because of the clause, the Suns would have gotten David Lee any way especially sine Mr. Lee no longer wanted to be in New York.
I believe Happy Walters should be fired. Since this is a business, do your business Mr. Stoudamire, make your own deals and stop paying folks to make an Ass of you.

It helps the Knicks to do a sign and trade so it lowers their cap number for him this year. His starting salary will be lower with 10.5% raises each year, as opposed to the 7.5% or 8% raises that the Knicks can offer if they sign him outright.

Amare is not locked up until he signs on the 8th or there after He could change his mind and go back and take Phoenix’s less guaranteed offer, he could sign with the Nets or even Chicago yet.
It’s not a done deal until it is signed after the 8th. It’s a non binding verbal commitment. Supposedly the Knicks would also get another #2 pick through PHX and Chicago as Warrick goes back to Chicago who seems to be getting the worst of the free agent situation.
Duane made a compelling argument too. It seems to help the Knicks , the Suns and the Bulls if Lee will cooperate and wants to go to PHX. Mark Bartlestein Lee’s agent says they have talked with PHX, apparently after the first of july about it. The PHX owner sucks but why a PF wouldn’t want to play with Nash is a good question. Maybe he doesn’t like hot weather.

Seems it will work for everyone, assuming that the Knicks do not need Lee for a Montra Ellis deal. Otherwise, Knicks take less salary cap hit up front, Suns get a player back, and Amare gets more money over life of deal.